Vybz Kartel to Perform at Caribbean Music Festival in Barbados on Easter Sunday: Emphasizes Family Connection and Positive Vibes

March 8, 2025
Vybz Kartel emphasizes family ties in Barbados, defending his Easter Sunday performance at the Caribbean Music Festival. He promotes positivity, hard work, and dedication in achieving success. Gaza Nation artists to join the show. Launches rum brand STR8 VYBZ in Barbados.
Vybz Kartel says it is all about family when he performs here on Easter Sunday for Caribbean Music Festival.
“Barbados is home to me. I have family here, my cousins are here, my mother’s cousins are here. Two of my grandchildren were born in this island – Little Vybz two kids – so for me Barbados is family, not just Caribbean family but real family.”
There has been public outcry over the artiste performing here on the religious day and he stated: “God is the greatest and that is the vibes we promoting – positivity, fun, happiness, joy, so what better day to do it. We celebrating Christ our Lord and Saviour ‘cause we are Caribbean people and we celebrating music, culture and life.
“I think it was Einstein that said, ‘work harder than the next guy’. That is truth, there is no magic pill you can take to be successful, you have to have the vision, the hard work, the dedication. You have to love what you do and you haffi put God in it
. . .that’s the code . . . that’s the formula.”
He said Jamaican artiste Tommy Lee, Spice and his children will be on the show along with other artistes.
“It is going to be a real Gaza Nation work and real Gaza Nation energy. The vibes will be nice. I know the people are going to love my performance.”
Kartel was in Barbados last weekend with two of his sons for the brand launch of his rum STR8 VYBZ, produced and bottled by The House of Angostura Distillers in Trinidad and Tobago.
“The rum has come home. It is amazing to be here, it is historical and nostalgic. Each bottle is named after a hit song – four of them.
“Being a businessman has always been my niche. I have to give props to my manager TJ who had the vision [for this rum].”
The Jamaican artiste, real name Adidja Azim Palmer, was arrested in 2011 with three other men for the murder of their associate Clive “Lizard” Williams, whose body has never been found. Kartel was sentenced to 35 years in prison, later reduced on appeal to 32 and six months. He was freed last year July after judges decided he should not face a retrial for murder. He had already been imprisoned for 13 years. His conviction was overturned on the basis of juror misconduct.